Lighting system for toy vehicles



1933. o. J. ANDERSON LIGHTING SYSTEM FOR TOY VEHICLES Filed June 2, 193:5 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fl .4- 'INVENTOR.

H Um: JANDERSUN W i 15 &

A TTORNEY Dec. 12, 1933. Q ANDERSON 1,939,380

LIGHTING SYSTEM FOR TOY VEHICLES Filed June 2, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR. 72752 JANDEREUN Patented Dec. 12, 1933 PATENT OFFICE LIGHTING SYSTEM FOR TOY VEHICLES Otto J. Anderson, Moline, Ill., assignor to Buddy L Mfg. (30., East Moline, Ill.

Application June 2, 1933. Serial No. 673,968

3 Claims.

The present invention relates to toy vehicles and more particularly to the lighting system thereof and the mounting of same upon the vehicle. Among the objects of this invention are to provide means whereby the lights'of such a vehicle may be caused to be dim or bright; to provide an improved switchingmechanism for the purpose indicated; to provide a novel mounting for the batteries of the lighting system of a toy vehicle; to provide novel means for connecting the batteries of such a system to the wires thereof; to provide simple means enabling the removal and replacement of the dry cells furnishing the electric power for the operation of the lights of a toy vehicle; and such further objects, advantages and capabilities as will hereafter appear and as are inherent in the construction disclosed herein. This invention further resides in the combination, construction and ar- 29 rangement of parts illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings and, while there is shown therein what is now considered the preferred embodiment of this invention, it is desired that it be understood that the present disclosure is to be 2Q interpreted as illustrative only and not. in a limiting sense.

In thedrawings annexed hereto and forming a part hereof, Q

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary bottom view of a pordry cells removed;

Fig. 2 is a similar view in place; v

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of. one of the conductors connected with the dry cells, the same being used to connect same in series;

i Fig. 4 is a similar view of another one of the connectorsused in this construction; Fig. 5 is a View similar to Fig. 1 but showing 49 an arrangement for mounting the dry cells side by side;

Fig;6 is a perspective view showing a pair of dry cells in side'by side relation as they would be mounted in the structure shown in Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view. of the connector used to connect the two cells in series;

Fig. 8 is a cross section of the structure shown in Fig. 2, substantially along the planeindicated by the line 88 of that figure.

As is well understood by those who are acquainted with this art, the supporting body of the vehicle. comprises a piece of metal stamped from a sheet of that material and shaped into the desired form. The forward portio'n'of this plate is designated by thenumeral 1 and is shown 39 tion of a toy vehicle, illustrating same with the showing the dry cells as having an opening 2 made therein, one edge of which is bent upwardly, as indicated at 3, to form a rest against which the dry cells 4 and 5 may be pressed by thelatches 6. and 7. These latches are pivotally mounted upon means designated by the numerals 8 and shown in the present drawings as rivets. The. free ends of the latches are turned downwardly, as indicated at 9, to furnish means whereby the latches may be more readily operated in displacing and replacing the batteries 4. It will. be understood that by swinging the latches 6 and 7 horizontally about their pivots 8 it will be possible to get them out of the way so that the dry cells may be. removed from or put into the positions shown in Fig. 2.

The headlight bulbs are indicated by the. numerals 10 and, although no tail light is shown, it will be understood that same may be provided, if desired, and connected into the circuit similarly to the headlight bulbs. A connector 11, more or less pointed at one end, as shown at 13, has its opposite end folded over the ends of a pair of wires 12, as shown at 14. These wires are connected to one terminal of the lamp bulbs and thus serve to connect one element of the dry cell with the lamp. The point 13' of the element 11 is inserted between the metal case of the dry cell and the jacket surrounding same and is thus held in tight engagement with the same. After the element 11 has been inserted, as described, the dry cell 4 is put into the opening 2 and the latch 6 is swung laterally about its pivot 8 until it occupies substantially the position shown in the drawings. In this position, it firmly presses the battery against the ledge 3 and the battery is then held rigidly in position.

A connector 15 is provided for connecting the dry cells 4 and 5 in series and this is shaped, as shown most clearly in Fig. 3. This connector has'one end turned laterally at substantially a right angle, as indicated at 16, and in this portion there is an indentation formed, which indentation appears upon'the opposite face as a protuberance 17. that the protuberance is of no importanca being merely incidental to the formation of the indentation. While the indentation might be dispensed with, the construction seems more desirable because of it since it helps to hold the connector 15 in place with relation to the central contact of the dry cell 4. The pointed end of the connector 15 is inserted between the shell and jacket of the dry cell 5 and the end'16 extends transversely across the central terminal of the Of course it will be understood i dry cell but is spaced therefrom, as is obvious from Fig. 2. This provides a space between the dry cell terminal and the arm 16 for the reception and sliding of the switch member 18, which will shortly be described. With the latch 7 turned laterally out of the way, the dry cell 5 may be inserted into the opening 2 with the end 16 in contact with the terminal of the dry cell 4, as shown in Fig. 2. The latch 7 is then turned into the position shown in this figure to hold the dry cell in position.

Openings are formed in opposite sides of the vehicle body for the insertion and sliding of the switch element 18 and it will be understood that this element is always in contact with the vehicle body during use of the vehicle. This switch is provided on its lateral edges with protuberances 19 and 20 which are designed to engage the arm 16 and the central terminal of battery 5, respectively. When the arm 16 is provided with a protuberance 1'7, the latter will be engaged by the hump or lug 19 as the switch 18 is moved in one direction-transversely of the vehicle. When this switch is moved in the opposite direction to the limit of itsmotion, the hump or lug 20 will engage the central terminal of the cell 5. In order to hold the. switch in central position so that the circuit will be broken except when it is intended that the lights shall. be on, the metal plate 1 is indented,,as shown at 21, thus forming a protuberance upon the opposite surface thereof. A corresponding. indentation is'formed in the switch 18 and when these two are inengagement the switch is prevented from inadvertent sliding transversely of the vehicle; However, when it is desired to put on the headlights, this switch is shoved laterally in one direction or the other to the limit of its motion. This causes either'hump 19 or 20 to close the circuit, thus turning on the lights. If the lug 19 is in contact with the protuberance 17 (or arm 16), only one dry cell will be in circuit and therefore the lights will be dim. On the other hand, if the switch 18 is shoved in the opposite direction so that the lug 20 is in contact with the central terminal of battery 5, the two cells will be connected in series and the lights. will be bright. The lugs 19 and 20 have a further function which is to serve as stop members for limiting the transverse motion of the switch 18. It will be evident that when the lug 19 contacts with shoulder 22 the sliding of switch 18 in this direction will be stopped. Likewise, when lug 20 engages shoulder 23, the sliding of the switch member in this direction will be stopped. It will be understood that the slideway for the switch 18 is formed by pressing channels in the metal plate 1. r

Reference will now be made to Figs. 5, 6 and '7 for a description of certain differences in construction incident to the side by side arrangement of the dry cells, as compared with the tandem arrangement shown in Figs. 1 and 2. This difference is incident to a difference in construction of the vehicle with which the battery is used. Essentially, however, there is no difference between the two structures, though there are a number of differences in details. In'this construction, a plate 25 is formed with a plurality of partially cylindrical indentations 'designed for the reception of the dry cells 4'and struction. The plate 25 is secured to the frame by any suitable means 26, such as rivets or spot welding. It will thus be seen that this plate and the batteries supported thereby will be rigidly held in place. 2

To connect the two cells in series a suitable connector 15a is provided which is similar to the connector 15, shown in Fig. 3. It is believed that, in view of the description of the structure shown in Fig. 3, it will not be necessary to further describe the structure shown in Fig. '7. The pointed end of this connector is inserted, as in the case of the previously described construction, between the shell and casing or envelope and the indentation in the transversely projecting end 16 engages the central terminal of the dry cell 4. This connects these two cells in'series.

The switch 18 is similar to that previously described but the lugs 19 and 20 are omitted and the effect thereof produced by forming an elongated notch 27 in one edge of the switch 18. The shoulders formed by cutting the notch 2'7 are designated by the numerals 19a and 20a since they correspond to the lugs 19 and 20. In the switch 18 is formed an indentation which cooperates with a slight projection formed at 21a in arm 28 projecting laterally from one corner of the plate 25. Channels are formed in the arm 29 extending outwardly from the plate 25 and the arm 28 is formed upon one of these arms 29. The function of this structure is the same as in the corresponding structure previously described, namely, to hold the switch 18 in central position with the lights turned off. Stop means 30 are formed in the switch 18 and serve to limit the transverse motion thereof with respect to the vehicle.- In both forms of construction, the ends of the switch member 18 are'bent' upwardly, as shown in Fig. 6 at 31. Slots are formed in switch element 18 to partly separate portions thereof so that the shoulders 19a and 20a will be resiliently supported with relation to the body of the switch member. Lugs 32 on plate 25 prevent longitudinal shifting of the dry-cells as a. result of the operation of the switch.

It will of course be understood that the specific description of structure set forth above may be departed from without departing from the spirit of my invention as set forth in this specification and the appended claims.

' Having now described my invention, I claim:

1. A lighting system for a toy vehicle comprising lamp bulbs having one contact grounded on the vehicle, conductors conneced to the other terminals of the bulbs, a connecting element connected to said conductors and adapted to connect same to a dry cell, a; dry cell mounted in an opening in the vehicle and held rigidly therein, a switch element mounted inthe vehicle body to slide transversely thereof, said switch element having a projection thereon to engage, directly or indirectly, a central terminal of said dry cell, said connector engaging thesh'ell of the cell', a second dry cell mounted in the opening of the vehicle body, a secondconnector, said second connector connecting the shell of the second dry cell to the central terminal of the first dry cell, and said switch element having a second projection which is adapted'to engage the central terminal of the second cell.

2. A structure of the character described comprising a toy vehicle having lamp bulbs mounted thereon with one terminal thereof grounded on the vehicle, conductors connected with the sec-' ond terminals of said lamp bulbs, a connector to which said conductors are connected and which is, itself, connected to the shell of a dry cell, means for holding a dry cell in proximity to the body of a toy vehicle, a switch mounted on the vehicle body and slidable with relation thereto and transversely of the dry cell, said switch having a projection adapted in one position of the switch to make electrical connection with the central terminal of the dry cell, the switch having a second projection spaced longitudinally thereof from the first projection for contact with the central terminal of a second dry cell, and a second dry cell inelectrical series relation with the first dry cell and in position to have its central terminal engaged by the second projection of the switch.

3. A structure for the purpose indicated comprising holding means for a pair of dry cells, holding means for a slidable switch element, a slidable switch element having means for cooperating with said holding means for the slidable switch element whereby inadvertent longitudinal motion of the switch element is resisted, a pair of projections on said slidable switch element to cooperate with the central terminals of said dry cells in connecting one or both in a lighting circuit, and electric illuminating means, one terminal of which is electrically connected to the first named holding means and the other terminal of which is electrically connected to the shell of one of the dry cells.

OTTO J. ANDERSON. 

